We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Zapoli and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Nicole, how does your business help the community?
I am NZ Fitness and my mission is to empower others toward living their strongest, healthiest, happiest lives possible. I am passionate about supporting others on their fitness and wellness journey so that lifelong wellness and a high quality of life become the new norm in our communities and world, rather than the exception.
My ultimate goal is to support, guide, educate, inspire, both physically and mentally as well as create as strong, healthy, happy, consistent, and committed clients as possible while also creating culture within my community that centers around life long wellness and a high quality of life.
I am dedicated to providing a sustainable system that can be implemented by anyone regardless of current fitness levels for the duration of my client’s lives.
My top priority is creating a training protocol that revolves around safety via optimal body mechanics, technique, and building a solid movement foundation. I desire for my clients to progress across all domains as they continue building their base strength and overall conditioning.
My NZ Fitness training method builds strength, overall work capacity, and increases lean body mass so that my clients have a strong foundation and the ability to live their strongest, healthiest, happiest life possible.
What should our readers know about your business?
From as early as eight years old I knew I wanted to own my own gym business, be a coach, entrepreneur, and most importantly, knew I wanted to help people when I grew up. As a young girl, I loved how empowering, fun, and awesome it was to feel and BE strong, healthy, and happy. I knew from then on I would be spreading my love and passion for fitness for the rest of my life!
Originally from Richmond-Sugar Land-Surfside Beach, Texas, I began my lifelong fitness journey with dance at the age of two, gymnastics at four, and was competing in artistic gymnastics by the age of six. I later switched to rhythmic gymnastics.
By the age of fourteen I had received the opportunity to train at the United States Olympic Training Center and was a 4-time Texas State Champion in rhythmic gymnastics, 4-time Junior Olympian, and a member of the US Junior Olympic Academic Team.
Following rhythmic gymnastics I cheered competitively for three years becoming a three time All American cheerleader. I went on to dance and cheer professionally for the NFL Houston Texans and the NBA Houston Rockets along with various other professional dance companies specializing in modern/contemporary and hip hop/street jazz.
I started my first business when I was 19 years old, a mobile gym business, offering in-home personal training as well as cheer, dance, and gymnastics coaching programs at private schools, day cares, and after school community programs.
A few years later in 2009 I discovered CrossFit and soon decided to become a CrossFit Trainer as well as a CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer. Soon after that I was invited to intern and eventually join the CrossFit Gymnastics Seminar Team. For the past 13 years I have had the opportunity to travel the world and teach gymnastics in the functional fitness and CrossFit world both as part of CFG as well as within my own business and brand, NZ Fitness. I have now booked, organized, planned, prepped, taught, coached, & led more than 130+ NZ Fitness gymnastics workshops worldwide, as well as another 40+ CrossFit Gymnastics Seminars worldwide.
I have had the opportunity to be part of so many fitness community events locally to worldwide representing several fitness companies as an athlete, ambassador, business owner, seminar coach, etc.
The amount of willingness and dedication to my own personal growth and pushing past my comfort zone this has taken me is beyond all comprehension. I am proud of myself for having the courage to say yes to new life opportunities.
The honor to receive and say yes to new, amazing life opportunities to level up always far outweighs fear!
I eventually opened my own CrossFit affiliate when I was 29 years old and was brought on as a co-owner of another already established CrossFit affiliate when I was 34 years old.
In 2016, my seventh entrepreneurial venture and business baby, NZ Fitness LLC was born; offering remote online coaching + custom programming, personal training, virtual personal training, gymnastics workshops, mobile custom nutrition app, and nutrition coaching support. You can also find NZ Fitness in-person training located throughout the county of San Diego; in-home and outdoor, resort and boutique gyms, CrossFit affiliates, and more!
My lifelong fitness journey has allowed and continues to allow me endless opportunities to create, grow, learn, build, and evolve as a person, mom, athlete, business owner, and entrepreneur. I am forever grateful for the many people, experiences, adventures, and beyond that have shaped me into who I am today.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spots and things to check out in my area:
Super chill beach days, beach walks, beach workouts, swimming, surfing in Cardiff by the Sea, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Leucadia, La Jolla
Dinner at sunset in Del Mar at Monarch Ocean Pub, Ki’s in Cardiff, Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff, Waverly in Cardiff, South Beach in OB
Lunches at Fish 101 in Cardiff and Leucadia, Con Pane at Liberty Station
Breakfasts at Pipes in Cardiff, Ki’s in Cardiff, Fig Tree Cafe in Pacific Beach
Spa and health day and/or staycation at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe
Kayaking, jet skiing, paddle boarding in the Carlsbad Lagoon, Mission Bay, San Diego Bay
Beach walks and/or hiking in Torrey Pines, Cabrillo, Mt. Woodson
Sunset beach yoga on Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma
Bike rides through Coronado
SeaWorld, The Zoo, Safari Park, Birch Aquarium, Balboa Park
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am so grateful for so many people, athletes, coaches, and business owners/entrepreneurs, throughout the entire gymnastics, cheer, dance, CrossFit, weightlifting, powerlifting, tactical, bodybuilding, strength and conditioning, and financial business worlds who has supported, inspired, and encouraged me to continue to follow my dreams and goals, to continue to dream new dreams and set new goals, and to continue to push on, rise above, and overcome while remaining steadfast and consistent through grit, resiliency, joyfulness, and gratitude.
Website: https://nicolezapoli.com
Instagram: @nicolezapoli – https://www.instagram.com/nicolezapoli/ and @_nz_fitness – https://www.instagram.com/_nz_fitness/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolezapoli/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nz-fitness-san-diego
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicolezapoli/videos
Other: https://nzfitness.online
Image Credits
Michael Frazier Kurtis Frasier Dan Goodman Paul Smith Assault Fitness Picture Flicks Hank Ford